Sport fishing is enjoyed around the world. From fresh water to salt water, a wide variety of fish species exist. Fishermen employ a variety of equipment and tackle depending upon the water being fished, the time of day, the species of fish sought, personal choice, and many other factors. A fishing lure, sometimes referred to as an artificial lure, is frequently a part of such equipment and tackle.
Fishing lures are typically designed and decorated with the goal of replicating or mimicking the movement and appearance of a food source for the particular fish being sought. For example, such lure may take on the shape of a minnow, tadpole, frog, mouse, insect, salamander, another fish, or such other food source. The fisherman's hope is that by having a lure closely resembling or acting like a source of food, fish will be enticed into biting the lure.
In an effort to make the lure aesthetically realistic, a designer can use materials pigmented with the desired colors. For example, colored plastics or rubber may be used. In addition, a designer can paint or stain the external surface of the lure to achieve the desired color and marking characteristics. Decorative features such as scales, eyes, and fins may be painted onto the surface or otherwise added to the lure.
Lures can also be designed with features that make the lure realistic in a functional manner. Fins, diving planes, spinners, rattles and the like may be added in order to make the lure move and sound like a food source. Some lures may be specifically designed to operate on the water surface while others may function only when below. Generally speaking, the lure's overall shape, the weight of the lure, the design of any lip on the lure, and the location of the point of attachment to the fishing line can affect the swim path of the lure during retrieval.
Typically, deep diving lures have diving planes made out of either a plastic material or a metal material. However, both types of materials present certain disadvantages in their respective use. For example, a diving plane made from a plastic material relies almost exclusively on the performance of the diving plane to bring the lure to deeper depths. Also, a plastic diving plane can be easily damaged, especially along the leading edge, which can and does affect the performance of the diving plane. Alternatively, a metal diving plane can rely on both the weight of the diving plane and the performance of the diving plane to bring the lure to deeper depths. However, metal diving planes also present several disadvantages because an all metal diving plane is easily bendable, which can and does adversely affect the performance of the lure.
For example, crankbaits (a particular type of diving lure) have a problem with running straight using typical production methods, that arises mainly because it is difficult to accurately position the line tie on the lure lip during the ultrasonic welding process that joins the two lure body or lip halves together. In addition, during normal use, the lure may lose its “tune” due to bending of or damage to the lure's lip while fighting a fish or pulling the lure through heavy cover. Re-tuning the lure requires careful bending of the lip to restore the original action. The act of tuning a lure requires significant skill and time to do it properly.
Additionally, since the line tie is typically attached to the lure lip in a crankbait, the lure lip materials and thicknesses must allow for the line tie dimensions and provide enough strength so that the lip doesn't break during retrieve through cover or while fighting fish. With the increasing use of high strength, low stretch braided lines this problem is made more difficult because greater impact forces can be transmitted to the lip of the lure during casting and during retrieve through heavy cover. Increasing the lip thickness to combat these issues is not an ideal solution, because it adds extra weight to the front of the lure which adversely affects the lure action.
As such, a need exists for a diving lure that has sufficient strength to withstand typical use (including fighting fish using high strength, low stretch braided lines) while avoiding affecting the tuning of the lip attached to the lure.